Cigar machine delivery mechanism



Oct. 5, 1965 yF. A. CRAIG ETAL 3,209,761

CIGAR MACHINE DELIVERY MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 8. 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 /4 FIG. l 2

FRANovs A. cams By FRANK HoLLENToN lfd... E(

ATTORNEY 0d 5, 1965 F. A. cAlG ETAL 3,209,761`

CIGAR MACHINE DELIVERY MECHANISM @riginal Filed Dec. 8, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 vl-lwi WVL'NTORS FRANCIS A. CRAIG FRNK HOLLENTON Oct. 5, 1965 F. A. CRAIG l-:TAL

CIGAR MACHINE DELIVERY MEGHANISM Original Filed Dec. '8, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 v 'Il mvzmons FRANms A. CRAIG By FRANK HoLLENToN Oct. 5, 1965 F. A. CRAIG ETAL 3,209,761

CIGAR MACHINE DELIVERY MEGHANISM Original Filed Dec. 8, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4

UVVENTORS FRANCIS A. CRAIG BY FRANK HOLLENTON Y; Ll.; L" L14: f

ATTORN Y Oct. 5, 1965 F. A. CRAIG ETAL CIGAR MACHINE DELIVERY MEGHANISM' Original Filed Dec. 8, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 5

FIG. e

INVENTORS, FRANCIS A. CRAIG Oct. 5, 1965 F. A. CRAIG ETAL 3,209,751 CIGAR MACHINE DELIVERY MECHANISM I Original Filed Dec. 8. 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 FRANCIS A. CRAIG FRANK HQLLENTON zal 0d. Vs, 1965 F. A. CRAIG ETAL GIGAR MACHINE DELIVERY MEGHANISM Cxlginal Filed Dec.v 8. 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 BY l INVENTORS. FRANCIS A. CRAIG FRANK HOLLENTONY ct. 5, 1965 F. A. cRAl ETAL 3,209,761

CIGAR MACHINE DELIVERY MEGHANISM Original Filed Dec. 8, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. VIl

Alllllkl 'II' IV.: im L mvmvrons.

,2O FnANons A. cams By FRANK HoLLENTpN United StatesV Patent O CIGAR MACHINE DELIVERY MECHANISM Francis A. Craig, Reading, Pa., and Frank Hollenton,

Mountainside, NJ., assignors to American Machine &

Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Original application Dec. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 74,564, now

Patent No. 3,089,297, dated May 14, 1963. Divided and this application Sept. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 231,317

2 Claims. (Cl. 131-25) This application is a division of application Serial No. 74,564, filed by us on December 8, 1960 for a Cigar Accumulator, now Patent No. 3,089,297 granted May 14, 1963,

and claim is made to all of the legal and equitable bene-d ts derivable therefrom.

The invention relates to cigar handling machines, particularly to a cigar transfer mechanism which operates intermediate a cigar knurler or a cigar wrapping machine which performs the last operation in the manufacture of the cigar itself and a cigar accumulator in which the cigars are temporarily accumulated and stacked before packaging. The subject mechanism is a part of the final machine necessary to complete fully automatic cigar manufacture.

An object of the invention is to transfer cigars from an automatic cigar vmanufacturing machine to an automatic accumulator pri-or to packaging.

Another object of the invention is to transfer finished cigars from a cigar machine to a conveyor mechanism forming part of 'a cigar accumulator.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel cigar elevator mechanism for raising a cigar onto the accumulator conveyor.

It is also an object to provide a cigar transfer which is economical to construct, readily transportable and conveniently installed adjacent the delivery station of conventional cigar making machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for transferring cigars from a cigar mac-bine t an accumulator, which means are operable in synchronism with the cigar machine independently of the accumulator.

With the foregoing and'other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the accumulator apparatus, with which the transfer apparatus of the present invention coacts, comprises a pair of endless toothed conveyor belts running over pulleys mounted on a framework which is located adjacent the delivery station of a cigar machine, the belts being motor driven independently of and at a speed of about twice that of the cigar machine. Cigars can thus be collected in the pockets between the teeth of the conveyor belts without the necessity of timing the belts with the rate of cigar delivery from the cigar machine, since each cigar as it is delivered sideways from the cigar machine will fall into a pair of empty belt pockets and then be positively conveyed to a station where the cigars are accumulated side-by-side in rows of predetermined number.

As the cigars are conveyed over one end of the belts they are dropped into the path of a reciprocable pushing device, operable in synchronism with the belts, which pushes the cigars sideways onto a pair of parallel runners, during which operation each cigar trips a switch in an electrical control circuit to actuate a counter and step a rotary switch. When a predetermined number of cigars v electrical clutch.

ICC

have been advanced along the runners, the rotary, switch energizes a relay in a circuit which sets off a single revolution electrical clutch to cause a cam shaft to make one revolution during which a cam and its associated follower actuate linkages causing the cigar runners to momenV tarily spread apart and drop the row of cigars onto an underlying platform.

Each time a row of cigars is so deposited 0n the plat- 'V form, the platform is indexed downwardly a predetermined amount corresponding to the diameter of the cigars. l.

ldisengaged but operatively engaged to impart a predetermined angular movement to its associated gear from linkages taking their motion from a cam on the aforementioned cam shaft rotatable by the single revolution When a selected number of rows of cigars having been stacked on the platform, a pusher plate is actuated to push the stacked cigars endwise ot the platform and into a` able by the platform when the latter is in its lowermost position.

After the pusher plate has unloaded the cigars it reciprocates to the back and off the platform under the action of its associated cam and in the rearmost position urges a pivotally suspended finger downwardly to disengage the normally engaged single acting clutch. A counterweight suspended from a chain passed over the gear hubs and coupled to one of said hubs thereupon is free to drop and thereby raise the cigar stacking platform to its uppermost position. The upward movement of the platform is stopped and the platform again locked against other than downward movement rby means of a lug on the counterweight chain which trips the aforesaid `pivotable nger out of clutch disengaging position against the normally engaged single acting spring clutch.

The transfer mechanism ofthe present invention which transfers cigars from the cigar machine to the accumu lator include means on the cigar machine for delivering cigars'to the belts of the independent accumulator, and include a trough-like member into which cigars are dropped from the delivery chute of the conventional cigar knurling device. A reciprocable pushing device, taking its motion from the reciprocable wrapper die cutting rollers of the cigar machine, is adapted to slide the cigars along the trough into the path of vertically reciprocating llifting fingers, operating through slots in the `trough Ain synchronism with the pusher, to raise cigars up over the 3 taken in `conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is :a front velevation of the cigar accumulator positioned adjacent the cigar delivery station of a cigar machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the same;

FIGS. 3 and 4 when joined at thc line A-A show an enlarged end view of the cigar accumulator taken from the right of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is an intermediate horizontal section showing the arrangement of the platform racks and associated gears and clutches, and the cam shaft and its associated single revolution clutch;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the mechanism for pushing cigars onto the runners of the accumulator, as seen from the rear of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-section through the cigar runners and the stacking platform;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the pusher plate and associated mechanism for sliding stacked rows of cigars off the platform;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the mechanism for delivering cigars from the cigar machine;

FIG. 10 is a side view of same;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary and partly sectional view of the mechanism for pushing cigars onto the accumulator runners; and

FIG. l2 is a pictorial wiring diagram of the electrical control system of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. l to 4, the accumulator apparatus of the present invention is shown mounted in a generally rectangular framework 1 positioned adjacent the cigar delivery station 2 of .a conventional cigar making machine. The accumulator frame mounts a pair of endless conveyor belts 3 and 4 travelling in spaced side-by-side relation respectively over pulleys 5, 6 and 7, 8 rotating on shafts 9 and 10 jornalled in brackets 11 and 12 atop the accumulator frame l. The belts 3 and 4 are spaced apart less than the length of a cigar and the outer surfaces thereof are provided with tooth-like projections 13 forming pockets 14 to receive the ends of cigars 15 and thereby continuously collect them as they are delivered from the cigar delivery station 2 by mechanism to be described hereinafter. Belt pulley shaft 9 is provided with a sprocket 16 coupled by a chain 17 to a sprocket 1S on a shaft 19 extending from a transmission box 20 supported on a bracket 21 in the bottom of the accumulator framework, an electric motor 22 providing the drive for the collector belts 3 and 4 through the transmission just described. The cigar collector belts 3 and 4 are driven at a speed such that the pockets 14 pass the cigar delivery station 2 at a rate about twice that at which cigars are delivered, thereby insuring that each delivered cigar will be collected in a pair of individual pockets 14 without the necessity of timing the accumulator belts 3 and 4 with the cigar machine, it being a matter of indifference whether or not the cigars are uniformly spaced along the collector belts 3 and 4. The upper laps of the belts may be steadied by means of an underlying ramp 23 the underside of which is connected to angles 24 suitably supported on rods 25 and 26 extending transversely of and between the belt laps and respectively fixed in a bracket 27 and bosses 28 on the accumulator frame.

As the cigars come off the end of the conveyor belts 3 and 4 as the latter travel around pulleys 6 and 8, the cigar ends are alined `and the cigars are then collected in successive rows of predetermined number by means now to be described.

A pair of arcuate guide plates 29 and 30 surround the belts 3 and 4 where they pass around pulleys 6 and 8, the guide plates being adjustably supported on a bracket 3l. The guide plates serve to contain the cigars in the belt pockets 14 until the cigars reach a position above a shelf 32 where the guide plates terminate and permit the cigars to drop to the shelf.

4 The means for aligning the cigar ends is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. The lower laps of the conveyor belts 3 and 4 respectively pass over cogwheels 33 and 34 mounted on a shaft 35 one end of which is journalled in a bearing 36 on a bracket 37. A gear 38 on shaft 35 I meshes with a gear 39 fixed on a shaft 40 journalled in bracket 37 and a second gear 41 fixed on shaft 40 meshes with a gear 42 fixed on a shaft 43 also journalled in bracket 37 and mounting a crown cam 44. A lever 45 is fulcrumed at 46 to a bracket 47. One end of the lever is provided with a cam roller 48 which is maintained in contact with the crown cam 44 by means of a tension spring 49 working between the roller end of the lever and the frame member 50. The other end of lever 45 is horizontally and vertically bifurcated and received over a horizontal rod 51 reciprocable in a boss 52 on bracket 53, a transverse pin 54 in rod 51 serving to cou ple the lever to the rod. The rod 51 is positioned to be reciprocated in line with the cigar pockets 14 on the belts 3 and 4 at a point just before the cigars leave the guide plates 29 and 30 and drop to the shelf 32. The rod 51 is provided with a cap 55. It is obvious that since the rod 51 is reciprocable through the kinematic train just described in timed relation with the speed of the collector belts 3 and 4, it is adapted to reciprocate forwardly each time it is alined with the pockets 14 in belts 3 and 4, whereby cigars which may be present in said pockets are gently and slightly pushed lengthwise to a predetermined position such that cigars passing this point in spaced sideby-side relation are positioned with their ends properly alined for subsequent operations in the accumulator apv paratus, these being the collection of the cigars in rows of predetermined number, stacking said rows and then transferring said stacked rows into a collection box.

Referring particularly to FIGS. l, 2, 3, 6 and 11, the gear 41 which is rotated from the cogwheel shaft 35 through gears 38 and 39 is meshed with a gear 56 fixed to a shaft S7 journalled in bracket 37 and to which shaft is fixed a crank disc 58. An adjustable link rod 59 at one end is pivotably coupled at 60 to the face of the disc 58 and at its other end is adjustably coupled to a slotted arm 61 fixed to a rock shaft 62 which is journalled in a bracket 63 and terminates in a collar 64. Another rock shaft 65 in alinement with rock shaft 62 is journalled in vertical plate brackets 66 and 67y and is provided at one end with a loosely mounted collar 68 which abuts the collar 64 on rock shaft 62. A collar 69 is fixed to shaft 65, spaced from loosely mounted collar 68 and coupled thereto by means of a torsion spring 72 working over shaft 65. Motion from shaft 62 is transmitted to shaft 65 by means of a finger 70 on collar 64 working against a pin 71 on collar 68 which in turn rocks shaft 65 by means of the torsion spring 72 coupling the collars 68 and 69. This permits lost motion between shafts 62 and 65 under certain conditions to be described hereinafter.

Fixed to the rock shaft 65 between plate brackets 66 and 67 is an oscillatable arm 73 (FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 1l) which extends upwardly and is coupled to a cigar pushing device 75. The cigar pusher is generally U-shaped in plan, and the horizontal arms 76 and 77 are spaced apart less than the length of a cigar and slidable in guides 78 and 79 disposed in back of the platform 32 on which cigars are deposited from the collector belts 3 and 4. The cross member 80 connecting the arms of the pusher 75 is provided with a central boss or block 81 which is bored and slidably received over a rod 82 fixed in a bracket 83. Depending from the block 81 are a pair of spaced bifurcated lugs 84 and 85, between which lugs is received the upper end of arm 73. The arm 73 is retained between the lugs 84 and 8S by means of a pin 74 extending through the bifurcated lugs. As the pusher is reciprocated in synchronism with the collector belts 3 and 4 from which the pusher takes its motion, it pushes cigars deposited on the shelf 32 sideways onto a pair of spaced parallel runners 87 and 88 to be collected in a row of predetermined number. As may be seen in FIG. l1, each time the pusher arm 73 oscillates forwardly and simultaneously reciprocates the pusher 75 to the position shown in broken lines, a cigar on platform 32 is pushed onto the runners 87 and 88, only one of which is shown in this view. A gravity biased weight 86 pivotally suspended from a bracket 89 is pushed and swung upwardly out of the way by the movement of each cigar as it is pushed off the platform 32 onto the runners 87 and 88, the weight swinging back each time to act as a check to prevent cigars returning to the platform 32 after they have been received on the runners. If for any reason a blockage should occur to prevent cigars from being freely pushed onto the runners 87 and 8S, their mutilation by the pusher 75 would be prevented because the light torsion spring 72 is adapted to yield under an obstruction to the pusher 75 to provide lost motion between rock shafts 62 and 65 through which the pusher 75 derives its movements.

-The shelf 32 on which cigars are deposited before being pushed onto the runners is provided with a central slot 90 and extending upwardly therethrough is one end of a nger 91 which is in interfering relation to cigars as they are pushed olf the shelf. The other end of the linger is disposed beneath and behind the shelf 32, is pivoted on a shaft 92 and counterweighted by means of a vertical bar 93 attached to the shaft 92 and depending therefrom. The lower end of the bar 93 is provided with a notch 94 within which is received a pivotable actuating arm 95 of a switch 96 in the electrical control system of the present invention to be described hereinafter. At this point it is sufficient to mention that as each cigar passes over linger 91 it is depressed to actuate the switch 96.

Referring to FIGS'. 1, 2, 3, and 7, the cigar runners 87 and 88 consist of a pair of parallel angle irons spaced apart approximately the width of a cigar, a leg of each angle extending horizontally towards one another to support the ends of cigars being pushed therealoug. The

runners 87 and 88 are respectively connected to vertical arms 97 and 98 which in turn are fixed to horizontal Shafts 99 and 100 which are oscillatably journalled in brackets 101 and 102 supported from horizontal frame members 103 and 104. The shafts 99 and 100 are adapted to swing apart runners 87 and 88 to the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 7 in order to drop a row of predetermined number of cigars onto an underlying platform 105 and then return the runners to the normal position shown in full lines for collecting a further row of cigars, this being accomplished through an electrical control system for the mechanism involved, the switch 106 *shown in FIG. 7 as being actuated by the outswing runner 87 being a part of the control circuit.

`The oscillatable shafts 99 and 100 are provided with fixed arms 107 and 108 the extremities of which are connected by links 109 and 110 to arms 111 and 112 fixed to an oscillatable shaft 113 iournalled on frame members 103 and 104. An arm 114 fixed to the rear end of the shaft 113 is connected by means of a vertical link 115 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 4) to one arm of a lever 116 fulcrumed tothe frame at 117 and having on its other arm a roller 118 (FIGS. 4 and 5) following a cam 119 on a hollow cam shaft 120 journalled in frame members 121 and 122. A tension spring 124 (FIG. 1) working between lever 116 and frame member 125 urges the lever roller 118 against the cam 119. A switch 123 (FIGS. 1 and 5) forms a part of thev electrical system (to be described) and is actuated by an arm 126 carrying a roller 127 in engagement with the cam 119.

The shaft 19 extending from the transmission housing 20 of the motor drive is provided with a sprocket 128 connected by a chain 129 to a sprocket 130 xed on a shaft 131 extending through and rotatable within the cam shaft 120. The cam shaft is adapted to be given intermittent rotation through one revolution by means of a single revolution electrical clutch 132, the members 133 and 134 of which are respectively fixed to drive shaft 131 and cam shaft 120.

Referring to. FIGS. l, 2, 3, and 7, there are shown associated with the cigar runners 87 and 88 respectively angle irons 135 and 136 with one leg of each disposed vertically within and alongside the correspondingly disposed legs of the runners 87 and 88 and the other leg of each extending inwardly thereby forming with the runners means for maintaining the ends of the cigars in alinement during the instant a row of cigars begins to drop as the runners 87 and 88 swing out.l The guide angles 135 and 136 are supported from brackets 137 and 138 lxed to` rods 139 and 140 on the frame 1. v

To ensure that each row of cigars is dropped as quickly and evenly as possible to the underlying platform 105, means are provided for engaging the top of the entire row of cigars and following the row of cigars downward to the platform and then returning to elevated position v Aand 146 extending horizontally between runners 87 and 88, the bottom edges of the bars being disposed close to the top of the row of cigars on the runners. The brackets 143 and 144 are coupled by parallel links 147 and148 to another bracket 149 fixed to the rod 25 mounted in the frame of the apparatus on a bracket 27. Obviously as the arm 141 oscillates down and up during the opening and closing of the cigar runners 87 and 88, the bars 145 and 146 will follow the top of the cigar row downwardly, snugly position the cigars on the previously stacked rows on platform 105 and then return to raise position to receive another row of cigars thereunder as thev cigars collect on the runners 87 and 88. As each row of cigars is dropped to the stacking platform 105, the latter is indexed downwardly a predetermined amount corresponding to the diameter of the cigars. When a selected number of rows have been so stacked a large pusher is activated against the ends of the .cigars to slide them into a conventional collection box andthe platform then is returned to its uppermost or" starting position. The mechanism for accomplishing this will now be described.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, the platform 105 is mounted on the upper ends of a pair of vertical racks 151 and 152 and associated gears 153 and 154 disposed between the racks and in mesh wit-hpeach other. The gear 153 is fixed to a shaft 155 provided with a single acting spring clutch 156 normally engaged to permit only counterclockwise rotation of the gear 153, hence clockwise rotation of gear 154 .and downward movement of the racks 151 and 152. The gear 154 is fixed to a shaft 157 provided with a single acting spring clutch 158 which is normally disengaged and opera'tivelyengaged only during downward indexing of the racks 151 and 152. The spring clutch 158 is coupled to an arm 159 which is connected by .a link 160 to the slotted end 161 of'a lever 162 fulcrumed at its other end to the machine frame at 163 and mounting at an intermediate portion a roller 164 which follows a cam 165 on the single revolution cam shaft 120. The roller 164 is biased into oontact with the cam by the tendency of the spring clutch 158 to move into engaged position on shaft 157,'alt-hough this can only occur when the cam roller 164 falls into a low portion of cam 165 during its intermittent single revolution. The degree of oscillation of arm 159 determines the distance which the platform is indexed downward with each cam shaft revolution.

Associated with the spring clutch 156 on shaft 155 is a clutch disengaging means operative to release the clutch and permit upward movement of the racks (after the cigars stacked on the platform have been transferred therefrom) under the bias of a counterweight 166 hung from aohain 167 which passes slidingly over a collar 168 on shaft 155 and is fixed to the hub 169 of gear 154 by means of a screw `170. The disengaging means for spring clutch 156 comprises an arm 171 pivoted at one end to the frame at 172 and having a short arm 173 depending from the pivot 172. This arm 173 is biased to the left (as viewed in FIG. 1) by a tension spring 174, theeffect of which is to urge the free roller carrying end -175 of arm 171 upwardly, this movement being limited by a stop screw 176 cooperating with arm 173. At an intermediate portion of arm 171 there is pivotally suspended a finger 177 which is adapted to disengage the spring clutch 156 after a stack of cigars has been transferred from the platform 105 to permit the lattter to return to its topmost position. This action is controlled by the cigar stack transferring means now to be described.

As the platform 105 is indexed downwardly after each row of cigars is stacked thereon, the platform moves between a pair of side plates 178 and 179 mounted on frame members 180 and 181 thus preventingcigars from dropping oif the sides of the platform. The rear of the platform is disposed adjacent a vertical stack pushing plate l182 normally held in retracted position and operative to reciprocate to transfer stacks of cigars from the platform to a collection box only when the platform 105 has bottomed.

The back of the pusher plate 182 is provided with a verticalA pivot rod 183 to which is hinged one edge of a vertical plate 184 pivoted at its other edge at 185 to one edge of another vertical plate 186 which in turn is pivoted at its other edge to the machine frame at 187. The effect of this arrangement is to provide an extensible stiffener member for the pusher plate 182 as it reciprocates during the transfer of cigars from the platform l105 into a collecti-on box 188, the partial transfer of a stack of cigars being shown in FIG. 8. The rear of the pusher plate 182 is provided with bottom brackets 189 and 190 to which are hinged arms 191 and 192 which extend diagonally up rearwardly and are pinned to a shaft 193 one end of which carries a fixed sprocket 194 connected by a chain drive 196 to a sprocket 195 fixed against rotation by means of screwed connections 197 to a bracket 198. Additionally, a shaft 199 freely oscillatable in the sprocket 195 is provided with a fixed arm 200 which extends to and freely.. receives shaft 193 therethrough. The arrangement just described is adapted to open and close the arms 19-1 and 192 with respect to arm 200 as shaft 199 is oscillated so as to reciprocate the pusher plate 182 to and fro over the platform 105 when the latter is bottomed as shown in FIG. 8. The shaft 199 derives its oscillatory motion from the cam shaft 120 through a cam 201 and its associated follower or roller 202 mounted on one end of a lever 203 fulcrumed on a shaft 204 and coupled at its other end by means of a vertical link 205 to a slotted arm 206 fixed to the shaft 199. A tension spring 207 working between the arm 206 and a lug 208 at the bottom of the accumulator frame tends to urge the cam roller 202 into engagement with cam 201 so that each time the roller passes over a low spot on the cam it will result in an oscillation of the pusher plate actuating shaft 199 to reciprocate the pusher plate 182. This action is only required when the platform 105 is bottomed, so that the cam lever 203 is normally inactivated by means of a latch 209 (FIGS. 1 and 4) in the form of a depending arm 210 pivotally supported at 211 from a frame member 212 and being provided at its lower end with la shoulder 213 which engages the underside of lever 203 and is normally so held by means of a U-shaped spring one end of which is fastened to an extension 215 of arm 210, the other end working against a pin 216 on frame member 212. Itis only when the platform is bottomed and presses down on spring 214 that the latch 209 is swung away to release the cam lever 203 whereby the pusher plate 182 may be reciprocated to transfer cigars from the platform 105 to a collection box. Remaining features of the apparatus of the present invention will be described in connection with the following description of the operation of the appara- -tus in conjunction with the electrical control system illustrated in the wiring diagram of FIG. 12.

Each time a cigar deposited on shelf 32 is pushed into the runners 87 and 88 the finger 91 extending through the shelf closes the switch 96 to cause a counter or totalizer 217 to register the count and a stepper coil 218 to advance a rotary switch 219 one segment. This continues until the rotary switch 219 reaches the contact F to which a full row lead 220 is connected. Upon contact with the full row lead 220, a holding relay 221 is energized to close relay contacts CR1, CRZ and CR3 with the following results: Contact CR, energizes a reset coil 222 returning the rotary switch to zero; contact CR2 holds the circuit on the relay; and contact CR3 sets off the single revolution electrical clutch 132 by means of a solenoid 228 to cause one complete turn of the cam shaft 120. When this occurs, runners 87 and 88 swing apart to cause a row of cigars to drop on the stacking platform 105 and simultaneously runner 87 actuates the switch 106 to break the circuit on the holding relay 221 causing the contacts CRI, CR2 and CR3 to open. Just before this breaking of the holding relay circuit, switch 123 is actuated by cam 119 to close and maintain the relay circuit closed on the electrical clutch for the completion of one revolution. Switch 123 is only needed if an electrical clutch is employed.

As the row of cigars is dropped to the platform 105 the latter is indexed downward during the single revolution of the cam shaft 120. This sequence automatically repeats itself until the required number of full rows of cigars have been deposited on the platform 105.

If the required number of cigars to be stacked on the platform 105 is such in relation to the width of the platform that the uppermost row must be only partially filled, there is provided a partial row lead 223 to that segment P of the rotary switch corresponding to the number of cigars in a partial row. A switch 224 (see FIG. 1) in the partial row lead circuit 223 is adapted to be closed by an adjustable actuator 225 on platform rack 151 as the platform is indexed downward after the loading of the last full row of cigars. Thus the rotary switch 219 will energize the holding relay 221 when the count of the row of cigars on the runners 87 and 88 corresponds to the partial number required.

As the last row of cigars is dropped to the platform, be it a complete or partial row, the platform is indexed downward by the single revolution clutch on cam shaft 120. This causes a switch 226 (FIG. 1) to be closed by an actuator 227 adjustably mounted on the platform rack 152. This energizes a row-dropper lock-out solenoid 229 and maintains continuous or clutching rotation of cam shaft 120, whereby the platform 105 keeps indexing downward until it is almost level with the bottom 230 of the collection box 188 removably supported on a bracket 231. At this level the platform biases the pusher plate lever latch spring 214 downwardly causing the latch 209 to swing out and release the lever 203 through which, during a single revolution of the cam 201 on shaft 120, the pusher plate 182 is caused to reciprocate forward and back over the platform 105, as best seen in FIG. 8, thereby transferring the stacked cigars to the collection box 188 by pushing against the ends of the cigars. The collected box of cigars may then be removed and an empty box mounted on the bracket 231 to receive the next stack of cigars.

As the pusher plate 182 reciprocates forwardly to transr fer cigars from the platform 105 to the collection box 188, a horizontal flange 232 extending from the `bottom of the pusher 182 rides off the roller 175 on the arm 171 associated with the disengagiug means for the single acting spring clutch 156 on gear shaft 155. As this action takes place the arm 171 pivots upward as viewed in FIG. 1 whereby its suspended finger 177, normally in idle position alongside a clutch disengaging pin 233 on spring clutch 156, swings over the pin to the position shown in FIG. 1. As'the cigar stack pusher plate 182 reciprocates back after unloading a stack of cigars from the platform 105, -the bottom flange 232 of the pusher again rides over the roller 175 on arm 171 causing the finger 177 to press `against a pin 233 to disengage the clutch 156. When this occurs, the platform 105 is mechanically raised to its uppermost position under the influence of the counterweight 166, the upper position being determined by a lug 234 on counterweight chain 167 which strikes a pin 235 on the finger 177 to trip the linger away from the clutch 156, thereby permitting it to go into engagement and arrest the upward motion of the platform 105.

As the platform 105 begins to rise to starting position, the latch 209 associated with the pusher plate lever latch 209 is permitted to swing back into normal locking engagement with the pusher plate lever 203, and then there is repeated the entire sequence of collecting cigars in rows, stackingthe rows on the platform 105 and indexing same downward, pushing a complete stack from the platform into a collection box and then returning the platform to starting position.

Itshould be noted that the sequence of the foregoing operations is controlled solely by the number of cigars pushed off the shelf 32 onto the runners 87 and 88 beneath the endless collector belts. Therefore, the rate and continuity of cigar delivery to the accumulator is of no consequence; Moreover, cigars may also be removed from the top laps of the collector belts for occasional inspection without disrupting the operation of the accumulator, and cigars that pass inspection may then be replaced in the belt pockets since the speed of the belts in relation to the delivery of cigars thereto insures generally empty belt pockets between cigars.

The present invention also envisions improved means at the delivery station of a conventional cigar machine for transferring cigars to the independently operated accumulator of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 10, the improved cigar delivery means 2 is operated in synchronism with a conventional cigar making machine such as is disclosed, for example, in the U.S. Letters Patent 2,405,867, granted August 13, 1946 to H. H. Wheeler and particularly with the cam drive of the wrapper die cutting rollers thereof. A Wrapper die cutting roller cam 236 on a shaft 237 is provided with a'slot 238 which is tracked by a roller239 on an arm 240 extending from a rock shaft 241. To the latter shaft is also aiiixed a second arm 242 mounting at its extremity a pin 243 received between the bifurcations of a lug 244 depending from a boss 24S slidable on a horizontal rod 246 disposed transversely of rock shaft 241 and fixed in brackets 247 and 248 mounted on the cigar machine frame 249. An integral upward extensionon boss 245 terminates in -another boss 250 in which is fixed one end of a horizontal rod 251 reciprocable in a boss on bracket 248 and extending therethrough and terminating in a cap 253. The cap of the rod is reciprocable along the bottom of a metal through 254 mounted on the cigar machine frame 249 beneath and extending across and beyond a ramp or delivery chute 255 leading from the cigar knurling station of the cigar machine. As cigars are delivered onto ramp 255 they roll down the inclined top edges of a pair of spaced plates 256 and 257 mounted on the frame 249 in alignment with the sides of the ramp 255, whereby the cigars are smoothly transferred to the sloping side of trough 254 and roll to the bottom of the latter. The reciprocating pusher rod 251 is synchronized to push the cigars lengthwise alongl the bottom 10 of the trough 254 to a location `(see FIG. 2) where the cigar ends are properly aligned with the accumulator co1- lector belts 3 and 4 for transfer thereto.

A sprocket 258 journalled on cam shaft 237 is coupled by a chain drive 259 to a sprocket 260 fixed to a shaft 261 which mounts a cam 262. One arm. 263 of a bell crank 264, pivoted at 266 in bracket 265, is provided with acam roller 267 biased against the cam 262 by means of a tension spring 269 working between a pin 268 in the end of the other crankarm 270 and a pin 271 extending from bracket 248. The crank arm 270 is coupled by a link 272 to one arm 273 of a lever .274 fulcrumed to the machine frame at 275. The end of the other lever arm 276 is linked to the bottom of a vertical rod 277 reciprocable through a guide lug 278 extending from a` bracket 279 and having fixed at its upper end a horizontal bracket from which depend three finger-like rods 281 which extend down through transverse slots 282 in trough 254. The bottom of the rods 281 are sloped forwardly in oblique relation to trough wall 283 whereby upon vertical reciprocation of the rods 281 cigars positioned before the rods by push rod 251 are raised to the top of trough wall 283 whereupon the cig-ars roll down an inclined trough extension or ramp 284 into the pockets of the collector belts 3 and 4 at a location near the top of belt pulleys 5 and 7.

Synchronism between the cigar delivery means to the accumulator and the cigar making machine per se is maintained by actuating the cigar delivery means from the same cam 236 which controls the operation of the cigar wrapper die cutting rollers. As is shown and described in detail in Patent 2,405,867,.and indicated in FIG. 10 herein, cam 236 actuates follower 239, oscillating shaft 241 and link 303. Link 303, shown broken, is coupled to link 305 shown at the upper right in FIG. 10. Link 305 reciprocates carriage 307 carrying roller 309 back and forth across cigar wrapper die 311 once per cycle of operation of the cigar machine. The finished cigar delivery mechanism therefor, taking its motion from the same cam 236, is operated, in the manner described in the foregoing, in synchronism with the cigar wrapper cutting mechanism.

The preferred embodiment of the invention described and exemplified herein is illustrative only, as persons skilled in the art will have recourse to various modifica l 1. In a cigar making machine including wrapper cutting die rollers, means for delivering finished cigars from the machine, said means comprising a cigar output chute, a trough positioned across the bottom of said chute and extending beyond said chute, means reciprocable lengthwise of said trough in timed relation with the cigar machine for pushing cigars endwise' successively along the trough to a predetermined position beyond said chute, said trough having a wall provided with a plurality of transverse slots at said predetermined position, a plurality of vertical fingers vertically reciprocable in said slots in timed relation with the reciprocable cigar pushing means and coacting with said trough wall to lift cigars to the top of said trough wall, a ramp extending from the top of said trough wall and adapted to deliver cigars to a cigar accumulator, said cigar making machine having a first cam constructed and arranged to operate said cutting die rollers in said machine, and said cigar pusher being mechanically coupled to said first cam, to thereby synchronize said pusher with the operation of said machine.

2. The combination of claim 1, having a second cam shaft mounting a secondcam, both said second shaft and Second cam being adjacent to said predetermined position, said first cam being drivingly coupled to said second cam shaft, and means taking their motion from said second cam and operative to reciprocate the fingers.

(References on following page) l l 12 References Cited by the Examiner 1,829,129 10/31 Dillon.

1,964,152 6/34 Hansen 198-27 X UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,082,352 6/37 Neumair. 11;;1 Schlolfeld ll-l 2,929,383 3/60 Clausen et al. 131-25 9 2 Buter 5 6/94 wood M150 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 6/95 Golgi 131-25 814,681 3/37 France. 10/03 White 13,1 32 X 381,753 9/23 Germany.

8/07 Shedlock 131 107 379,233 8/32 Great Britain. 4/ 15 Tyberg. 10 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CIGAR MAKING MACHINE INCLUDING WRAPPER CUTTING DIE ROLLERS, MEANS FOR DELIVERING FINISHED CIGARS FROM THE MACHINE, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A CIGAR OUTPUT CHUTE, A TROUGH POSITIONED ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF SAID CHUTE AND EXTENDING BEYOND SAID CHUTE, MEANS RECIPROCABLE LENGTHWISE OF SAID TROUGH IN TIMED RELATION WITH THE CIGAR MACHINE FOR PUSHING CIGARS ENDWISE SUCCESSIVELY ALONG THE TROUGH TO A PREDETERMINED POSITION BEYOND SAID CHUTE, SAID TROUGH HAVING A WALL PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE SLOTS AT SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION, A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL FINGERS VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE IN SAID SLOTS IN TIMED RELATION WITH THE RECIPROCABLE CIGAR PUSHING MEANS AND COACTING WITH SAID TROUGH WALL TO LIFT CIGARS TO THE TOP OF SAID TROUGH WALL, A RAMP EXTENDING FROM THE TOP OF SAID TROUGH WALL AND ADAPTED TO DELIVER CIGARS TO A CIGAR ACCUMULATOR, SAID CIGAR MAKING MACHINE HAVING A FIRST CAM CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO OPERATE SAID CUTTING DIE ROLLERS IN SAID MACHINE, AND SAID CIGAR PUSHER BEING MECHANICALLY COUPLED TO SAID FIRST CAM, TO THEREBY SYNCHRONIZE SAID PUSHER WITH THE OPERATION OF SAID MACHINE. 